Musing on a wide range of issues ranging from US/Kenya politics, Solar Energy, Press to pop culture. Other random items are also featured.

5/03/2005

lucy saga continues...

Video is available on the standard website. Link Lucy says that kenyans do not understand her role. link I am reminded of Githush's piece on first ladies. I think she has set the women's movement back. Its bad enough that kenyan women deal with chauvinism, this incident will come up when a woman is on the cusp of real power. Sorely dissapointed. Anyway, here are the highlights from the article in nation.

The media, she said, "must start respecting the President by addressing him through his rightful title... His Execellency the President or Mr President". [snip]"I told them to pack up the band and play normal music, but they refused. They packed up the band and continued with loud music inside the house. I sat outside by my swimming pool until 4am because I could not sleep." [snip]However, she said, in storming the house, she was also doing so on behalf of Muthaiga residents whose rights she has championed for 30 years, as a senior citizen. "The residents come to me for assistance when they have no water, power or such noise and I have always come to their rescue."I was doing it out of instinct. I have done this before all my life. I was doing it on behalf of Muthaiga residents especially those who live on Tchui Road. They always plead with me for help."But she denied that her children – Judy and David – were at the party, saying they were "too dignified to go to nightclubs". [snip]Mrs Kibaki also took issue with Press reports that she had recorded a statement with the police. "I have never recorded a police statement since I was born," she said. [snip]Mrs Kibaki defended herself against accusations that she had directed arrests of certain individuals such as Makadara MP Reuben Ndolo. "Those who say that I directed the arrests of sijui who... Ndolo, or whoever, are liars; of what benefit would that be to me?" she posed.

speaking of Ndolo, is he still in jail? He needs to be set free ASAP.

"But you do not have to be so nasty to other people. You have been nasty and unkind to us ... English words to describe what you have done to us fail me," she said, suppressing tears. [snip]On her role as First Lady, she said the press had targeted her for "condemnation and constant criticism" because they did not understand what she was supposed to do and how she was supposed to behave. The fact that Kenya has not had a First Lady for many years and one as daring and as brave as her, made Mrs Kibaki the target of "a nasty mainstream press". Noticed, no apology yet to the KTN journalist she slapped. That should have been the first thing she said before addressing any other of her concerns. She wants us to feel sorry for her? Meanwhile, MP's and religious leaders are speaking out about this and taking Kibaki to task.